University of Virginia Library

To The Editor

Senate Leaders

The article about the University
Senate appears to be a step in the
right direction to provide leadership
to students, faculty and staff in the
concerns of the University community,
whether physical or social.
Leadership is also needed in times
of emergency, when decisions must
be made by those on the scene and
later analyzed by responsible
government.

Although I have no official
capacity to endorse the creation of
leadership structures, it does appear
to me that we could use representatives
of such a body as the senate
and the organizations from which
they are chosen. Elements of such
in-depth leadership could participate
in the emergency planning
function as well as make contributions
to the normal plans for
improvement.

Long and hard work on such
ideas and analyses can refine a
system of representative democracy
so that it can survive the turbulence
and troubles that beset it. It is my
hope that we can contribute to
"continuity of government" in
times of serious natural or accidental
disaster and even "grave
national peril."

This is a genuine community of
scholars, but these are people too.
They must have a framework of
leadership. Some need it for protection.
Some need it as a way to
express themselves as all reach
upward toward light and enlightenment
Let us never fear that Mr.
Jefferson's spirit of democracy will
die as long as there is a willingness
to exchange ideas. It does appear
that your paper is now embarking
on a more positive exchange of
ideas. Anything we can contribute
for mutual understanding will be
gladly offered and the opportunity
to participate in our courses can be
included too.

Virginia Gentleman

The recent editorial of Messrs.
Lopatkiewicz and Yates concerning
the keynote address by Richard
Obenshain, recent candidate for
Attorney-General, at the convention
of the Young Republican
Federation of Virginia is in desperate
need of clarification. Since I
also was there as a delegate, I shall
attempt to set the record straight at
this time.

The gentlemen, particularly Mr.
Yates, were so preoccupied with
reacting like one of Pavlov's dogs to
the ringing of a bell, that they
entirely ignored the context of the
remarks concerning Robert E. Lee
and Stonewall Jackson. They were
not cited as exemplary of Virginia's
past greatness. The upbringing of
Robert E. Lee and the rigorous
mode of life of Stonewall Jackson
were instead cited as exemplary for
all of mankind. Indeed, if either Mr.
Lopatkiewicz or Mr. Yates can find
proof that Robert E. Lee or
Stonewall Jackson was pro-slavery,
or even anti-Negro (which I doubt),
they will have made a new contribution
to the historical record.

The gentlemen also indicated
Mr. Obenshain for demonstrating
"a lack of rapport with the very
people he is identified with, the
Young Republicans of Virginia."
Both Mr. Yates and Mr. Lopatkiewicz
witnessed and took part in the
standing ovation which Mr. Obenshain
received before he spoke.
Apparently, neither of the gentlemen
were there at the conclusion of
Mr. Obenshain's address, when he
again received...a standing ovation.

I do not condemn either Mr.
Yates or Mr. Lopatkiewicz for
walking out, that is acceptable
conduct. I do condemn them,
however, for their vocal outbursts
during Mr. Obenshain's speech, an
act which caused many of us in the
delegation from the University to
suffer acute embarrassment. Perhaps
the gentlemen (??) should use
Robert E. Lee and Stonewall
Jackson as models, and attempt to
behave like the Virginia gentlemen
that these two great citizens of
Virginia were.